Draught beverages in restaurants, bars, stadiums and other public facilities are dispensed using systems that consist of a storage container that is kept cool in a remote refrigerator. Typically, a cooled supply line takes the beverage to a dispensing faucet. Generally, the beverages are stored in containers that are kept in remote walk-in refrigerators that are also used to chill foods as required by the facility's kitchen. Drinks may be dispensed at a location several hundred feet away from the storage container. The beverage trunk line used to transport the beverage to the dispensing tap is generally made up of a multi-line insulated construction that contains two central cooling liquid lines that will bring a cold glycol/water mixture or ice water to the dispensing faucet and back to maintain the beverage's temperature. This system has the drawback of providing inconsistent cooling performance. This is due to the fact that the temperature inside the walk-in cooler can fluctuate widely as personnel enter and exit during busy times. Also, the beverage trunk line can travel through areas of varying ambient temperatures thereby raising the beverage temperature.
There have been attempts to overcome these problems. These attempts have included the use of a heat exchanger placed near the tap to chill the beverage with a glycol/water mixture or ice water just before it is dispensed. These methods also have drawbacks. Efficient heat exchangers rely on exposing a large surface area of beverage to the cooling liquid. This inherently limits the volume of beverage that can be reasonably kept inside an efficient heat exchanger. Beverages are poured in batches or servings and the dwell time between servings enhances cooling rates. If the frequency of servings becomes too great, the temperature of the beverage will increase as dwell time is minimized. Usually, only a fraction of the volume of a full serving resides in the heat exchanger. This fraction of the beverage will mix with any warm beverage that is found between the heat exchanger and the tap. It will also mix with beverage that passes quickly through the heat exchanger with a limited or no dwell time. This results in a beverage being served at temperatures warmer than desired.
There is therefore a need for a beverage dispensing apparatus that dispenses cold beverage servings even where the beverage must be delivered over a significant distance and where there are significant periods of time between consecutive pours.